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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Saturday / November 23.
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Articles, NBA Draft, UCLA

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ryGDORBXC4&w=560&h=315]

By DAVE SPAHN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

CHICAGO — The past college basketball season and ensuing months certainly could have gone better for Shabazz Muhammad.

First, the NCAA ruled Muhammad ineligible for the season just days before UCLA’s first game for receiving improper benefits. The ruling was voided after three games, but the cloud of an NCAA suspension still hovered over his head.

Next, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Muhammad failed to reach the lofty, arguably unrealistic expectations placed on him during his collegiate tenure. He quickly slid down from the top of draft boards and is currently projected at No. 10 on DraftExpress.com.

Then, reports began to leak about Muhammad being a full year older than originally

Recruiting

FRISCO, Texas — Trey Lyles, one of the top forwards in the Class of 2014, says he’s putting recruiting on the backburner for the summer.

“I’m just  trying to focus on this last AAU season,” he told SNY.tv at the Nike EYBL stop here. “Have as much fun as I can, put the college thing on the background until my high school season.”

In February, the 6-foot-10 Canadian cut his list to Florida, Butler, Kentucky, UCLA , Louisville and Duke.

“Every school is even,” he said. “I hear from every school every week. I talk with every school every week. You know the fans are on me every day but every school is even right now. Nobody is going the extra mile above the other ones.”

Knicks

When the Knicks take the floor at Bankers Life Fieldhouse for a must-win Game 6 on Saturday night, Chris Copeland figures to once again play a key role off the bench.

And Amar’e Stoudemire and Jason Kidd may have to get comfortable there.

“Those two guys have just gotta be ready to play,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said on a conference call Friday. “At this point it’s about winning. We played a different rotation last night and it worked. We’ll look at that rotation again.”

In the Knicks’ 85-75 victory in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, Copeland scored 13 points in 19 minutes off the bench, providing a much-needed offensive jolt behind Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith.

With the Knicks facing a 3-2 series deficit, Woodson said Copeland could have an even bigger role in Game 6.

“If he’s playing well and doing the things that’s asked of him on the floor, sure his minutes can grow,” Woodson said. “But if he’s not, I gotta search and find. It could be [Steve] Novak. That’s the beauty of our team. It don’t matter who plays, it’s what you do in the minutes when you get in the ballgame.”

Knicks

By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG

Geirge HillIndiana Pacers point guard George Hill is being called day-to-day with a concussion that forced him to miss his team’s 85-75 Game 5 loss to the Knicks on Thursday evening. Despite Hill’s status being up in the air, the Knicks are readying for Saturday night’s do-or-die Game 6 as if Hill will play.

“With or without George, the pressure has to stay the same if George was playing,” Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said via conference call on Friday afternoon. “We’re preparing that he is gonna play, but we just gotta continue to apply pressure either way. It doesn’t matter who’s out there.”

Articles, Kentucky, NBA Draft

Projected No. 1 overall pick Nerlens Noel weighed in at 206 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago and immediately took some heat as a result.

Anthony Davis, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, weighed 222 pounds at the combine and the ESPNU crew wonders how Noel will be able to post up and defend NBA big men at that weight.

Can his frame handle much more weight?

“I’m 206, I can post up,” Fran Fraschilla said on ESPNU, adding that he didn’t think Noel is the consensus No. 1 pick.

Louisville

By JACK LeGWIN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

Quentin Snider is living his dream.

The Louisville (KY) native made a huge splash early in his sophomore year when he committed to his hometown Louisville Cardinals, and has backed up his decision over the last two seasons by honing his skills, most recently leading Ballard (KY) to the state championship game in 2013, averaging 19.6 points per game.

“When I was a little kid, I always wanted to go to Louisville,” Snider told SNY.tv. “It’s where I’m from, and I’ve always wanted to play in front of my hometown fans.”

Knicks

http://web.sny.tv/media/video.jsp?content_id=27187055

By JOSH NEWMAN
Special to ZAGSBLOG

NEW YORK – Amar’e Stoudemire made $19.95 million this season and is owed $45 million over the next two seasons. Chris Copeland is a 29-year old undrafted rookie free agent making roughly $473,000.

With the Knicks forcing a Game 6 Saturday night back in Indianapolis following an 85-75 Game 5 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday evening, one of these players seemingly has a spot in the rotation, while the other’s role appears to be in question. The thing is, which player matches which scenario doesn’t make much sense based on the salaries.

His team’s collective backs to the wall, Knicks head coach Mike Woodson went with the seemingly-instant offense of Copeland on Thursday and he delivered, scoring 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting and 3-for-4 from 3-point range in 19 minutes.

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